Want to work in an emerging field that is one of the fastest growing occupations in the U.S.? Don’t mind heights and want a good challenge? If this sounds like you, then consider a career as a wind turbine technician. Before we look into what a wind turbine technician does, where they work and whether they are in demand, let’s first understand how wind energy works.
How Does Wind Energy Work?
Wind energy is the process of creating electricity using the wind, a natural occurrence in the earth’s atmosphere. When the wind blows past a wind turbine, the blades capture the wind’s kinetic energy through rotation of the blades and turns it into mechanical energy. The rotation turns an internal shaft connected to a gearbox housed in the nacelle. The gearbox spins a generator which produces electricity, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
A larger number of wind turbines that are built close together may have the moniker of “wind farm.” A wind farm sends its electricity to the electric power grid like a traditional power plant would. Once the wind energy reaches the grid, utilities will send the electricity through the power lines to consumers that need to power their homes.
What Does a Wind Turbine Technician Do?
Wind turbine technicians install, maintain and repair wind turbines, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wind turbine service technicians typically do the following:
- Inspect the exterior of the wind turbine towers.
- Inspect or repair wind turbine equipment, blades, gearbox and generator.
- Perform routine maintenance one to three times a year.
- Use computers to diagnose electrical malfunctions.
- Troubleshoot and test electrical, mechanical and hydraulic components and systems.
- Repair and replace worn or malfunctioning components.
- Collect data for testing or research and analysis.
Is Wind Turbine Technician a Good Career?
Wind turbine technician is one of the fastest growing careers in the United States. Alongside many allied health professional careers, wind turbine technicians growth is to be 45 percent in the coming decade.63 According to BLS, the median annual salary for wind power technicians in the United States was $57,320 in May 2022.61 This means half earned more and half earned less. Keep in mind that salary depends on several factors, including experience, employer, demand and cost of living in the area.
*Not entry-level salary and is dependent on factors like experience, location, and employer compensation.
Wind turbine technicians are also in demand. Clean energy is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Although wind energy can’t supply all the energy the world needs, it is definitely an integral part of the overall electrical grid.
There are over 70,800 wind turbines in the United States alone, and each year an additional 3,000 wind turbines are built, according to the USGS. Technical innovations and the need for cleaner energy has accelerated the demand for wind turbine technicians to service the many wind turbines that are being installed all across the country. Not only are they built on land but like oil rigs, they are also built offshore. All wind turbines need maintenance, monitoring and repair. That is where you come in.
Where Do Wind Turbine Technicians Work?
Wind turbines have been growing in number all across the United States. They are found wherever the conditioners are right and wind is abundant. There are many rural wind farms that offer clean energy to the bigger cities. The states with the most wind turbines are Texas, Iowa, California, Oklahoma and Illinois, in descending order.
Wind turbine technicians primarily work outside and may have to scale ladders as high as 260 feet tall. They wear protective gear as they rappel from the nacelle to the section of the blade that needs servicing. However, with the advent of the Internet of Things, wind turbine technicians can now monitor the performance of wind turbines from afar using a laptop and Internet connection.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Wind Turbine Technician?
Most wind turbine technician programs can be completed in under one year. At MIAT, a full-time student can train to become an entry-level wind turbine technician in seven months.* As a graduate of our program, you would be knowledgeable about wind turbine tools, rigging, welding, AC & DC electrical theory, renewable energy sources and hydraulics and gears. You could expect smaller class sizes and one-on-one attention from industry experienced instructors. There is a need for wind turbine technicians, and you want an exciting career. It’s a win-win.
Final Thoughts
If you can climb high and think quick on your feet, then becoming a wind turbine technician may be the right career for you. You will spend most of your time outside the office and learning new technological advances. What is better than that? Train in as little as seven months in our wind turbine technician program. Pursue a career in a field that is growing and will be in demand for many decades to come.
Does a career as a wind turbine technician interest you? Want to have the power of an entire nation at your fingertips? Our Wind Turbine Technician program provides the hands-on training, practical experience and industry support it takes to pursue a technical career in just 7 months. Wind turbine technicians must inspect and service a turbine’s blades on a regular basis. This is done by entering the turbine through the base of the tower and climbing a ladder or riding an elevator up through the tower shaft. Depending on the task at hand, technicians may be suspended hundreds of feet in the air! When needed, it’s not uncommon for helicopters to raise wind turbine technicians up to the desired working height.
Our goal is to produce graduates who are in the top echelon of their initial on-the-job training due to the foundational knowledge they receive at MIAT. To learn more about Energy Technology career training and to explore if the program is right for you, fill out the form on this page.
Contact us if you are interested in becoming a wind turbine technician today.
For important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of the students who attended this program visit the following disclosure links.
61The Wind Technician Training Program prepares graduates for entry-level positions using the provided training, primarily as wind power technicians. Estimated annual salary is for Wind Turbine Service Technicians as published in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2022 Occupational Employment and Wages. Entry-level salaries are lower for graduates. UTI and MIAT are educational institutions and cannot guarantee employment or salary. Graduates’ achievements may vary. Individual circumstances and wages depend on economic factors, personal credentials, work experience, industry certifications, the location of the employer, and their compensation programs. Some graduates get jobs within their field of study in positions other than as wind power technicians, such as installation technicians and field service technicians. Salary information for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is available at https://lmi.dua.eol.mass.gov/lmi/OccupationalEmploymentAndWageSpecificOccupations#. Salary information for North Carolina: The U.S. Department of Labor estimates the hourly median wage for skilled wind turbine technicians in North Carolina is $31.67 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, May 2022 Occupational Employment and Wages, Wind Turbine Service Technicians). The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish entry-level salary data. However, the 25th and 10th percentile of hourly earnings in North Carolina are $30.52 and $30.43, respectively.
63Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Wind Turbine Technicians, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/wind-turbine-technicians.htm. BLS projects total employment will increase from 11,200 in 2022 to 16,200 in 2032. UTI and MIAT are educational institutions and cannot guarantee employment or salary. For program outcome information and other disclosures, visit www.uti.edu/disclosures.